Training

The Orange Fire Department prides itself on being able to respond at any time to any emergency as well-trained and as professionally as possible. To do this, an intense regimen of training is required to be completed all emergency response personnel followed by regular refresher training. All of this is coordinated by the staff captain assigned to the training function, with the exception of emergency medical services training which is coordinated by the emergency medical services manager. The training officer also functions as the department's safety officer during major incidents, coordinates the fire department involvement in recruitment and promotional processes, ensures that all personnel comply with local, state and federal mandates for continuing education requirements, coordinates advanced and specialized training for the various rescue and emergency response disciplines, and interfaces with other agencies to assist with training issues related to coordinated response.

Routine and Mandated Training

All types of emergency response require training. In the past, individual fire departments determined what training the department would provide to its members. As can be imagined, there was quite a range of the amount and quality of training programs throughout the State. Nowadays, many of the services that the fire department provides are regulated by CAL-OSHA, and require a certain amount of training hours per year. This means that the training officer has to coordinate “engine company maintenance skills,” “truck company maintenance skills,” technical rescue training, miscellaneous training and regional training (joint training with other fire departments).Safety Officer Function

The training officer also functions as the incident safety officer on most major incidents whether they involve fire, hazardous materials, mass casualties, terrorist events, traffic collisions, high-rises, technical rescues, disasters or any other emergencies. The incidents to which fire department personnel respond are often unstable, dynamic events that require the assignment of a safety officer. This assignment helps to prevent a secondary incident from occurring as a result from responding to the first one.

The Orange City Fire Department is proud and fortunate to have an intensive training program resulting in more efficient and effective emergency responses to our residents, businesses and visitors while maintaining the safety of the emergency response personnel.